


AZ meets a tiny person

by ViimaTheFailcat



Category: Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Gen, Not Beta Read, Self-Insert Week, Self-Instert Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 05:04:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6840145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViimaTheFailcat/pseuds/ViimaTheFailcat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>(I suck at titles.)</p><p>This is for the self-insert week, so spoilers: the tiny person is me.</p>
    </blockquote>





	AZ meets a tiny person

**Author's Note:**

> (I suck at titles.)
> 
> This is for the self-insert week, so spoilers: the tiny person is me.

It was a cool, crisp day in Anistair City. AZ’s breath clouded in front of him as he walked down the street. Or the alley, rather. AZ preferred to stay out of sight. Homeless people tended to make the general population uncomfortable, not to mention ones that were inhumanly tall.

 

A trashcan fell over and AZ heard someone hiss a curse at the sound.

 

“I don’t have the time for this!”

 

AZ turned towards the sound and saw a psychic trainer stumbling over a trashcan. There was an Espeon nearby that was meowing impatiently at them.

 

“I know, I know, they’re going to be on my ass about this again,” the person grunted and righted themself. They ran blindly and almost collided with AZ’s legs.

 

“Shit!”

 

The person stopped and their eyes widened. They looked up at AZ, which required quite a lot of neck-arching on their part.

 

They were  _ tiny _ . Everyone was tiny compared to AZ, but this person was tiny even by regular standards. Their wavy, mousy brown hair could barely reach AZ’s knee. They were wearing psychic’s robes, which lead AZ to assume they were a gym trainer.

 

The two shared a moment of regarding each other. Then the Espeon meowed loudly and it seemed to draw the psychic from their reverie.

 

“I’m late!” they yelped and skittered past AZ. “Sorry!” they called out before running off, closely followed by the Espeon.

 

AZ stepped aside and allowed them to go.

 

He didn’t see them again for seven hours.

 

AZ had just decided to head out of town when he stumbled upon the wavy mess of hair again, in the same alley they met the first time. Only this time, the psychic trainer’s frantic energy was replaced with exhaustion, hunched shoulders and dragging feet. The Espeon also looked a little worse for the wear.

 

They stopped in their tracks when they saw AZ. “Ah,” they breathed, “H-hello. Again.”

 

“Hello,” AZ replied with a nod.

 

“Sorry about this morning,” the psychic trainer spoke on, “I was late for work.”

 

“It is quite fine,” AZ said, even if in his eyes, there was nothing to apologize for.

 

The trainer hesitated a little. “Are you hungry? I was going to go to a café nearby for dinner.”

 

AZ blinked. He didn’t hear that often. “Are you sure?”

 

“Yes. I mean, you…” they hesitated again, “Um… Food…?”

 

AZ smiled. He got the feeling that the trainer didn’t want to make assumptions on AZ’s situation even if it was painfully obvious. “I would love to, thank you.”

 

The trainer smiled and lead AZ out of the alley and to the café. AZ got a few weird looks, but the two ignored it.

 

“Get what you want, I got paid yesterday so the cost isn’t an issue,” the trainer said.

 

AZ got the cheapest sandwich on the menu anyway. The psychic trainer ordered a sandwich too along with some pokemon food for their Espeon. “Do you have any pokemon? That might wanna eat too?” they asked.

 

“I have fou-” AZ caught himself. “Three. I have three.”

 

The psychic nodded and ordered more pokemon food, then the two sat down to eat. AZ released his party of three who greeted the Espeon before starting to eat. The psychic smiled briefly at Sigilyph, but the smile quickly disappeared.

 

They ate in silence and AZ could feel the psychic’s mood hanging over them like a heavy, suffocating blanket. “There is something on your mind, isn’t there?” AZ asked.

 

The psychic blinked and looked at AZ, still craning their neck. The fact that the two were sitting down did nothing to even out the height difference between them. “It’s… it’s nothing.”

 

“Tell me,” AZ said, “You fed me, it’s the least I could do.”

 

The psychic hesitated but finally nodded. “Fine. But you’re allowed to stop me at any time, okay?”

 

AZ nodded with a smile and waited for the psychic to find their words.

 

“Okay, so. What do you think a gym leader’s job is?” they finally said.

 

AZ considered this for a moment. “To give badges?”

 

The psychic’s eyes sparked. “Exactly! But giving a badge to a challenger means the gym leader has to lose, right? Being a gym leader is… basically losing, right?”

 

AZ blinked. “I suppose it is.”

 

“My colleagues don’t get it. I’m like the first trainer you meet in the gym and I’m the weakest. And still the other trainers yell at me for not defeating enough challengers. But like. It’s… not the point, right? I’m not the one they’re here to fight. I’m just here to test them. To see if they’re ready to defeat Olympia. So like. If a gym leader’s job is to lose, it’s even more so with me. As a gym trainer. Right?”

 

AZ nodded.

 

“The other gym trainers just don’t get it though. They’re like  _ myee you let too many challengers pass, Mitja! _ ” They put on a low, mocking tone for who AZ assumed was supposed to parody their colleagues. “ _ Myee, you should defeat more of them, Mitja! _ ” The trainer sighed. “But like. I literally don’t have a choice in whether I win or not. The challengers are strong enough to defeat me fair and square. And even those who aren’t impress me so I let them pass anyway. Or they go train and come back later when they’re stronger. I literally can’t choose who I let pass and who I don’t.”

 

AZ finished the last bite of his sandwich. “Have you talked to the gym leader about this?”

 

The psychic (Mitja? Was that their name?) made a face. “Uuhh, yeaaah. I maybe should. But she’s really busy and this is… this isn’t that big of a deal. I shouldn’t bother her with this.”

 

“It sounds like a big deal to you,” AZ said.

 

Mitja’s shoulders hunched. “Well okay yeah, it is. I’ll talk to Olympia if it gets unbearable.” They blinked suddenly. “Oh! I never asked your name, did I? And I yammered on for so long too. I’m so sorry. I’m Mitja.”

 

“People call me AZ.”

 

Mitja blinked and AZ could see the gears turning in their brain. “Like… like the ancient king…?”

 

AZ nodded and Mitja’s eyes widened in panic. “So the legend…” They looked at AZ’s pokemon. “The revived pokemon…”

 

“She’s not here,” AZ said quietly.

 

Mitja’s eyebrows pinched in sympathy. “You haven’t found her yet?” they asked, just as quiet.

 

“I haven’t.”

 

Mitja’s shoulders sagged. “Oh.” They attempted to smile. “W-well, it’s been 3000 years already. I’m sure you’ll find her soon.”

 

AZ managed a smile as well. “Thank you, Mitja.”

 

Mitja’s smile grew more relaxed, then slightly awkward. “My problems seem really miniscule in comparison.”

 

“But they are your problems and they are just as valid,” AZ said, “They cannot be compared.”

 

Mitja nodded slowly, looking thoughtful. “I’ll talk to Olympia tomorrow,” they said decisively.

 

AZ nodded with a smile. “I hope it goes well.”

 

“I hope you find the pokemon soon.”

 

AZ’s smile grew a little wistful. “So do I.”


End file.
